Aviation Hashtags: Marketing in the Aviation Industry

This was going to be fun. I didn’t know if I could change his mind, but the small crowd that lingered after our presentation at an event was leaning in to hear what was going to happen next. They were spoiling for a fight, and it would be disappointing if I didn’t give it to them, right?

“Seriously, who wants to know what I had for breakfast? I think the whole idea is just really dumb.” He said loudly, enjoying the nods of agreement from the crowd.

“I totally agree. Nobody wants to hear what you had for breakfast. “ I heartily conceded.

I waited to see what he had to say next. Clearly he was curious, or had a question.  Otherwise,  he would not have sought me out after a “Social Media” presentation and started the conversation.

“So, what’s the point?” He asked.

“What business are you in?” I asked him. (I know, it’s rude to answer a question with a question, but I could see I had limited window, here.)

“My company makes avionics components.” He said.

“So, there’s a very specific group of people that need your product.” I said.

“Exactly.” He agreed.

“So, some of the things you need to do would be,  keep up with who’s talking about your products, who’s talking about your competitors, what reporters for DOM and AIN and Avionics magazine are looking for, things like that?” I asked.

“Of course,” He answered. “Which doesn’t leave me much time for things like Twitter.”

“Of course!” I responded. “So, what tools are you using to accomplish those things now?”

“Well, I read magazines and talk to people at trade shows like this one.” He responded

“Right. But did you know how many people are talking about ‘avionics’ on Twitter on the average day?”

“Not many.” He said.

“Want to find out for sure?” I asked.

“Sure, why not.” He conceded.

I whipped out my phone and browsed to Topsy.com and entered the term “avionics.” I also added the words “avmro” (which I happened to know is a popular term with aviation maintenance people) and “aircraftmaintenance” for good measure. I showed him the screen, which looked something like this:

“So, on an average day, 566 people are tweeting about Avionics.” I showed him. “And, if you wanted to include related terms like aircraft maintenance and AvMro, there are more than that.”

“Yeah, but who is it, and what are they saying?” He asked.

I quickly showed him how to search on a hashtag, (a fancy keyword) in Twitter.

“Avionics Magazine, Avidyne Corporation, Thales Group, ARINC Engineers, Runway Girl, and many, many others. And I can scroll through these pretty quickly and decide which are worth reading and which are not. “

“I didn’t know you could put pictures in there.” He admitted.

“So, if we agreed to call this ‘competitive research’ and ‘ad targeting,’ rather than Twitter and Topsy, would you use these tools?” I asked him.

“That would make me feel better about it.” He said good-naturedly.

“Sounds good. You’ve got a deal.” I said.

Understanding Aviation Hashtags

What are Aviation Hashtags?

Aviation hashtags are a set of keywords or phrases used to categorize and make posts related to aviation discoverable on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. They serve as a bridge connecting aviation enthusiasts, industry professionals, and businesses, allowing them to share their passion for aviation and showcase their work. By using aviation hashtags, you can significantly increase the visibility of your posts, attract new followers, and engage with the broader aviation community. Whether you’re sharing stunning photos of airplanes, discussing the latest industry trends, or promoting aviation events, hashtags help ensure your content reaches the right audience.

How to Use Hashtags

The term “hashtag” simply means a word or term preceded by the pound (or “hash” sign – #)

When you add a hashtag to a tweet or Instagram message attached to your update, photo or ad, that helps people who are looking for that specific topic to find it more easily by typing the term into the search window.

This list of aviation hashtags is not meant to be exhaustive, it’s just to give you some ideas of how to begin your research and targeting for marketing in aviation.

It’s often a good idea to include a very popular hashtag with a more specific one, so that you get the benefits of both. This strategy can significantly improve your engagement rate by reaching a broader audience while targeting specific interests.

When we complete a Marketing Flight Plan for our clients, we include a competitive analysis of what your top competitors are doing on social media, how large their audience is, and what their primary topics include.

Depending on the service level our clients choose, we take care of much of this research and targeting for them.

Here’s a quick hashtag marketing guide to get you started. The “average tweets per day” varies, but this month’s results will provide a general idea.

Identifying Effective Aviation Hashtags

Trending Hashtags in Aviation

Trending hashtags in aviation are popular keywords or phrases that are currently being used by a large number of people on social media. These hashtags can help boost the visibility of your posts and attract new followers by tapping into ongoing conversations and trends. Some examples of trending hashtags in aviation include #aviation, #avgeek, #aviationphotography, #aviationlovers, and #planespotting. By incorporating these popular hashtags into your posts, you can connect with related content and engage with communities that share your interests, ultimately enhancing your social media presence and reach.

Related Hashtags in Aviation

Related hashtags in aviation are keywords or phrases that are closely related to a specific topic or niche within the aviation industry. These hashtags allow you to target a more specific audience and increase engagement with your content. For instance, if you’re posting about commercial aviation, you might use related hashtags like #commercialaviation, #airlinepilot, #flightattendant, and #airtravel. On the other hand, if your focus is on aircraft design, you could use hashtags like #aeroengineering, #aircraftdesign, and #aviationinnovation. By strategically combining trending and related hashtags, you can maximize the visibility of your posts, attract new followers, and foster deeper connections within the aviation community.

Aviation in General

Hashtag Tweets per Day #avion 516,189 #aviation 81,689 #airplane 41,588 #airport 58,670 #bizav 3,654

These hashtags are particularly popular among aviation enthusiasts who share content related to planes, flying experiences, and aircraft spotting.

“Geeks” who have specialized aviation knowledge

Hashtag Tweets per Day #avgeek 74,620 #avnerd 683 #planegeek 137 #airplanegeek 31. Enthusiasts often share photos and videos of takeoff and landing experiences, making ‘takeoff’ a popular keyword in this community.

For airline crews

Hashtag Tweets per Day #crewlife 8,492 #pilotlife 2,957 #flightattendant 2,756 #cockpitview 113 #thisismyjob 110.

Using the right hashtags can significantly increase the visibility and engagement of each post, helping crew members connect with a broader audience.

Travel Related

Hashtag Tweets per Day #travel 2,903,127 #flight 1,600,155 #vuelo 260,185 #charter 226,687 #boarding 155,274 #emptyleg 4

Photography

Hashtag Tweets per Day #instaplane 1,548 #aviationphotography 498 #instagramaviation 1,525 #skyporn 244 #planeporn 22

Flight Schools

Hashtag Tweets per Day #flightschool 479 #future_aviators 211 #flightinstruction 2 #timebuilding 6

Aircraft Maintenance & Ground Crews

Hashtag Tweets per Day #avionics 586 #avmro 403 #ramplife 239 #aircraftmaintenance 65 #groundcrew 49

Aviation Trade Shows & Conventions

Aviation trade shows and conferences typically have their own hashtag so that exhibitors and attendees can stay informed about happenings at the event:

#nbaa17

#osh17

#sdc17

The easiest way to find the “official” event hashtag is to look at the event website, or watch for news from the organizing body. (NBAA, Aviation Week, Aviation Pros, etc.) They generally end in the year.

Have one you’d like to add?  Enter it in the Comments below!